The Marhaba 2025 operation, known in Spain as Operación Paso del Estrecho, has enabled over 1.7 million passengers and 439,000 vehicles to cross during its departure and return phases. According to data shared Tuesday, August 5, by the Directorate General of Civil Protection and Emergencies (a department under Spain's Ministry of the Interior), the departure phase, running from June 15 to August 15, recorded, as of August 4, the crossing of 1,480,343 passengers and 369,429 vehicles across 4,178 maritime trips. Compared to the same period in 2024, which saw 1,428,847 passengers and 355,308 vehicles on 4,609 trips, this year's operation reflects a 3.6% increase in passenger traffic and a 4% rise in vehicles, despite a 9.4% drop in the number of crossings. The Algeciras–Tangier Med route remains the busiest, accounting for 46.9% of all departures, followed by Almeria–Nador (15.5%), Algeciras–Ceuta (14.5%), and Tarifa–Tangier Ville (10.5%). As of Monday, 5,503 social assistance services and 873 medical aid interventions were provided at ports. Meanwhile, the return phase, underway since July 15 and continuing until September 15, has so far seen 268,419 passengers and 70,323 vehicles cross the Strait via 1,834 maritime trips. In comparison, the same period in 2024 recorded 255,659 passengers and 67,582 vehicles across 2,084 trips, marking increases of 5% and 4.1% respectively, though with 12% fewer crossings this year. For the return leg, the Tangier Med–Algeciras route leads with 42.4% of the traffic, followed by Ceuta–Algeciras (20.7%), Tangier Ville–Tarifa (13.3%), and Nador–Almeria (8.4%). Since the start of the return phase, 858 social assistance services and 39 medical emergencies have been handled at ports.
